


Stronger Than You Know

by FelicityKitten



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M, wow so effective, your usual dose of "otp starts fighting ends up closer because of it"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 09:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18870352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FelicityKitten/pseuds/FelicityKitten
Summary: He would do anything to keep her safe, even keep secrets and avoid her at all costs. What else could she do but try to scream some sense into him?





	Stronger Than You Know

 

“We need to talk,” her deep contralto pulled him out of his post-meditation lightness, strict in a way she rarely used with him.

 

Usually, Zaheer didn’t find it in himself to mind - weeks must have passed since he last saw her. Hearing her now only shook awake the aching dullness of missing her inside him.

 

Ever since their fateful meeting almost four years ago, P’Li claimed pieces of his heart he couldn’t quite take back and dedicate to his search for enlightenment and greater good. A secret he was trying to keep close to his chest as well as a known fact he couldn’t deny if he tried.

 

Thinking too much about the implications of it frightened him and disrupted his carefully crafted schemes, so he decided to just let it rest untouched, not willing to delve deeper into his own feelings. He wasn’t such a fool to hope it would come to pass on its own way - his previous efforts in that had ended up futile - but in desperate need to not stir it awake any more.

 

Distance ended up being his only salvation. Piling tasks and studying onto himself, to distract himself and  have a reason for his absence in her life.

  
  


Just from her curt tone she usually reserved for training and trouble, Zaheer was alerted to her irritation. With him, all the more. As her first and closest fellow among the Red Lotus, Zaheer wasn’t exactly used to it. P’Li angry usually ended in destruction, tears and panic attacks.

 

“Alright,” he answered, dispassionate in way he didn’t really feel. “I’d prefer to go outside, if you don’t mind.” 

 

He slowly rose from lotus position, turning to look at her for the first time and taking in the subtle clues of her mental state, pushing aside his moment of taking in how beautiful she was.

 

Her back proudly straight, just a hint of tension in her shoulders - when they just met, she used to slouch to mask herself. Since then, she had learned to not hide, but this stance she had in habit to take when she intended to make the best use of her intimidating height. Directed at him, huh.

 

Her face rested carefully expressionless, just a touch of creased eyebrows and tight jaw. Russet eyes careful not to let him slip out of her line of vision even for a moment. All this added to the picture he already assumed from her voice. He somehow ended up a target of her resentment.

 

As he followed her back into broad daylight, Zaheer wondered what might be behind it.

  
  


When they reached the training grounds, now empty save for the two of them, P’Li stopped, turned to face him, arms crossed on her chest, lips a thin dangerous line.

 

“Were you ever going to mention to me you’re going on a mission in three days?” her tone sounded carefully neutral, except for last words just slightly hissed through her teeth.

 

So that was it, then. How did she find out?

  
“I assume Ghazan drank too much and let it slip,” he avoided looking at her, her eyes stinging like fiery needles on his.

 

“He told me on his own, completely conscious and sober,” she spat, taking a closer step to him, her hand reaching out to grip his arm, just so on the verge of painful.

 

“The question is why didn’t you,” he met her eyes at last, irises trembling with rage.

 

“I didn’t mean any harm,” he too laid his hand on her shoulder, light where she was harsh, trying his best to comfort her, to make her understand.

 

“I believed it would be too personal and wanted to spare you of living through your personal nightmare again.”

 

In their constant trekking of the world, moving as soon as their faces might start become recognizable among locals, their overarching goal of taking the power from the grip of abusers, warlords, and sovereigns tended to progress slowly. Finally, they caught the track of an aristocrat suspicious of abducting young prodigies to make them his warriors - much like P’Li had experienced once.

 

Memories of nights when she had woke up screaming like being tortured quickly put away any thoughts of making her aware of this.

 

Plus there was the fact that she had still been in training - something he was reluctant to change. Even though Red Lotus was in desperate need of young blood, Zaheer had refused to pull a young, broken, traumatized girl into it when she was at her most vulnerable. He would have ended up worse than her dead captor.

 

Somehow, she had decided on her own that sticking with him offered her more than any other life she could have chosen. As she began healing, a bright fire lit within her for justice, freedom and vengeance on those who had power to abuse it - even to match his own.

 

Still, he wanted her away from life of running, scars and blood he had been living for almost 10 years. Call it a weakness of his, overprotectiveness or simply what it was and what he may not have in him to say out loud - deep care and love, and his best effort to give her back a semblance of normalcy she had been ripped from.

 

  
Zaheer expected his explanation to placate her a little bit. To his surprise, her grip on him tightened, she bared her teeth and her body rose and fell with deep loud breaths, like she was holding back from screaming at him.

 

“Zaheer, tell me again what are we, what do we stand for,” her voice shook, but remained mostly at speaking volume.

 

“Freedom of all people from rulers, no orders to keep them caged, life as they choose fit,” he replied, puzzled about where she was going with it.

 

“Where exactly, in this little scheme of yours, were you taking my freedom of choice into account?” she spat out.

 

What? What did she mean by that? 

 

“P’Li, I understand if you’re upset with me for not being honest with you, but what good would it bring if you knew? How would it help you, would would you even do?”

 

“The thing I thought would be obvious - come with you!” she yelled out, pushing him from her and turning away, as if she couldn’t stand the sight of him anymore.

 

Ah, so this was the problem. Given how mad she was, Zaheer needed to be careful with his words while telling the truth - she had an exceptional talent of knowing when he was lying.

 

“P’Li, look…” he took a hesitant step towards her, but she only moved from him, still shaking with emotions.

  
“Let me explain myself,” feeling like an abyss opened between them, he found it difficult to address her back, but what else could he do? She needed to know his reasons. Maybe that would make it clear.

 

“You… you always reacted badly when something reminded you of your past. This was as close as it could get to it. I didn’t want to upset you with news about another monster like your abuser still living in this world.” When she didn’t move, he took it as a neutral sign at worst and continued.

 

“Maybe you want to go now, but you don’t know what it entails. I can’t take back your only chance at going back. Life in Red Lotus is the very epicentre of danger and instability. You chose it, but you don’t how it’s like on a mission, how I get when I have someone to kill.”

 

“I am who I am - a revolutionary, someone to suffer terrible consequences if I get imprisoned - but I can’t drag you down with me if I can help it. You deserve a better life than this.”

 

He finally reached the main point - he had nothing to offer her, only more pain. As much as he would love to keep her at his side forever, it would only lead to breaking her. So even if he had to watch her walk away, or not spend any time with her at all, his selfish wants couldn’t overwhelm what was objectively best for her.

 

Faster than he could blink, she lunged at him. He blocked her hit aiming for his stomach and then kept blocking - she was fast like a lightning, eyes burning, furious, but not mindlessly so. She wasn’t using fire, just non-bender martial arts skills against his. Her moves precise and quick, he could only marvel at how amazingly good she had gotten. True, he had been avoiding sparring with her, the closeness of her body awaking strange feelings in him…

 

The fight went on, Zaheer kept trying to put distance between them, or anything to stop her from trying to hit him when he didn’t even know what triggered her fury. Suddenly, he found himself stuck, his shirt in her grip, his tiptoes barely reaching the ground, steel at his neck. 

 

“Were you an enemy, this second I slash your carotid,” she spoke through clenched teeth, breathing fast.

 

“I no longer flinch at the sight of blood. I’m not made of glass, do you hear me? I’m so much stronger than you know, and for what?” she leaned down, their noses centimetres from each other. His heart burst into sprint.

 

“For another one to decide whether or not I’m ready to live with the choice I made to fix this world?!” she let go of his shirt and he stumbled, not expecting to fall on his heels so quickly.

 

Her words made him realize the error of his ways. She wasn’t weak, far from that. She was the strongest person he knew. He only wanted to protect her.

 

“P’Li-”

 

“Save it, Zaheer! Ghazan was right, for someone so knowledgeable you’re such an idiot,” she went on, turning to stab his eyes through his again, this time with something deeper and more painful than her anger. “But I never expected you to be a hypocrite.”

  
“How am I a hypocrite?”

  
“You decided for me! Didn’t inform me about anything, you might even die and I won’t even know, only keep thinking my former best friend finally gave up on me.”

 

Was this what she thought? Oh no, how badly did he mess up?

 

“P’Li, I would never-”

 

“You would, because you already did!” she yelled out, the full extent of her hurt seeping through.

 

“Do you still take me for a child? Or am I like some precious thing to you, to take care of and guard carefully? Because I used to think you were the only one who saw me for who I truly was. That we were equals,” the last sentence quieted, almost like it slipped through unnoticed.

 

“P’Li,” he reached out again, the lightest touch on her forearm. This time she didn’t flinch away.

 

“I apologize. I had a lot on my mind and I never realized my absence hurt you,’’ he said, eyes searching for hers, to let her see he meant every word.

 

“Maybe you would have if it mattered to you, too,” she mumbled, eyes avoiding his, shoulders slumping. She was closing in on herself again.

 

He needed to make it right, immediately. Nothing but absolute truth - regardless of the outcome, she needed to know the reason why he did what he did, or she’d blame herself. The only one at fault was himself, though.

 

“I was confused… and guilty over something. I felt like if I kept being with you like always, I would be taking advantage of the way things once were, when we were only growing kids.”

  
He paused, heart in his throat as he mentally gathered next words that would have her turning away from him in disgust and their whole friendship in ruins. Maybe she’d even leave after all.

 

At least she would be safe. He could live with that.

 

“But things are… different now. When I’m close to you, my heart is racing and I’m thinking of all the ways I’d wish to be even closer. That’s why we’re not seeing each other as often anymore. I can’t risk my thoughts turning lewd when it’s you I’m thinking of.”

 

Her eyes grew wide, mouth slightly agape as she started to realize what he meant.

 

“I knew if I told you, I’d lose you. I kept being selfish, unwilling to see you gone from me for good. You’re everything to me, P’Li.” She gasped softly.

 

He needed to finish his confession and face the consequences.

  
“I hate knowing I hurt you because I was too much of a coward to tell you the truth. So I’m honest now, even if it means I might lose you anyway.”

 

Turning away, he couldn’t bear the sight of her as she would call him a pervert or tell him to stay away from her forever. However, P’Li kept silent. Maybe she was so mad she couldn’t find words strong enough to express it.

 

At once, warmth encased him - did she decide to use firebending on him? - and he felt her exhale in his messy hair. Too slow, he realized she was hugging him from behind.

 

“You really are an idiot, Zaheer,” she spoke, completely different than before - sweet, whispery, he could hear she was smiling.

This… wasn't how he expected things to go.

 

“You - you don’t hate me?” he asked, afraid of the answer.

  
“Haven’t you realized by now it’s the opposite?” she chuckled.

 

It took a while - maybe she wasn't too far off calling him an idiot - but once it clicked in his mind, the rush of adrenaline almost made him dizzy.

 

Hesitant, he turned around in her arms to look at her. The sight was unlike anything he saw on her before - there was a dusting of red on her cheeks and a soft smile tugging at her lips, more beautiful than ever before.

 

She pulled him close to her chest again, tighter, and finally, he wrapped his own arms around her waist and completed the embrace.

His pulse hammering in his ears, nose full of her scent, her warm body pressed close to his, Zaheer’s mind swam in disbelief, happiness and utter bliss. He could die like this and not regret a thing, but would prefer to live, only to stay in this moment forever.

 

“Hey,” her breath tickled in his ear, making him shiver.

 

“This still means I’m coming along on that mission.”

 

Thousands of doubts and questions pushed onto his tongue, waking him from his dreamlike state. But maybe, he really let his own faulty perceptions blind him to the truth - she was ready and free to go if she wished.

 

“I only want you safe. I hope you know that,” he murmured into her sternum.

 

“I want the same for you. But you don’t get to decide that for me. Only I do. If you want us to work, you can’t lie to me about something like this.”

 

“Us?”

 

“I meant, this,” she gestured at the little space between their bodies, then blushed. Oh. Oh wow. She was adorable. “This newest development?” she finished, voice pitched higher than usual.

 

“Does it mean we’re… romantically involved?”

 

“Well, what else would it be?” she said, then continued with much less surety: “Unless I misunderstood and you don’t want that?”

  
“You didn’t misunderstand,” he smiled, taking her hand, palm to palm. Her long fingers intertwined with his almost naturally, as they were meant to be together always. “I just wanted to make sure we both are on the same page.”

  
“Okay,” she smiled again, her gaze almost melting his with affection. Her magnetic pull was calling him closer, until he leaned up and pressed their foreheads together. That made her smile even wider and he felt a delicate touch as her other hand cupped his cheek.

 

P’Li angled her head downwards, her nose brushing his. He could almost taste her sweet breath now, and oh, how badly he wanted to. Was it truly going to happen?

  
The gentlest, softest caress of lips on his. His heart seemed to skip a few beats.

 

She leaned back the smallest bit, though it already seemed too far for him, so drunk on everything she was. He chased after her mouth and she caught him in the middle, pressing their lips together more firmly now - still quite soft, but very much a proper kiss now.

 

Again - just a gasp of breath and she was tugging him back, pressing several short, quick kisses onto his lips. He stood on his tiptoes and claimed another, this time longer. She sighed and he deepened it, from his limited knowledge on how it was supposed to go. She met him with enthusiasm, so something must have been right. 

 

They might have stood there kissing for a few minutes or hours, he didn’t know. He could never get enough of it - of having P’Li so close, filling each sense of his. Their hands broke their hold to pull each other closer - she was hugging him around the neck, almost choking him, he had one arm around his waist, the palm of the other tangled in her messy braid.

 

They broke apart after too short time, still. P'Li was breathing heavily against his lips, making him want to dive in again to steal it for himself.

 

“It felt even better than I expected,” she said after a while, lips and cheeks red.

 

“I never had enough hope to even imagine it,” he admitted, making her giggle. This was new.

 

“Maybe if you had let me speak and decide for myself earlier, we'd have much more time together,” she glared at him, half teasing, half serious.

 

“At least I'll know to not repeat it in the future,” he laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

 

“You better learn that for good,” she grew serious instead, putting more distance between them. 

 

“If I notice you're not completely open with me, I'm done trusting you. Remember that.” 

 

“I'm sorry,” he reached out a hand to her cheek. She leaned into his touch. He may never want to stop now that he knew he was allowed to be close to her.

 

“I forgive you, this time.”

 

Their quiet moment passed and then she rose into her full height again.

 

“We might as well skip to the part that started all of this.” Her tone was all business again.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Easy. You'll tell me all about this mission of ours and we'll take apart the plan step by step.”

 

No room to argue. However, if by everything that happened Zaheer just gained not only a sweetheart, but a partner in everything, he supposed him being an idiot turned out exceptionally well in the end.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> Art can be found here:
> 
> https://felicity-kitten.tumblr.com/post/184993322415/stronger-than-you-know-fight-scene-so-here-i
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading! This work got competely   
> out of my control, but I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. P'heer decided they really wanted to make out a bit, head over heels as they are.
> 
> Please leave a kudos/ comment, I know I'm writing for a dead fandom, but it's still nice to hear some feedback.


End file.
